


The Answers Are Stuck Behind Closed Doors

by allonsy_gabriel



Series: Another 51 [48]
Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Attempt at Humor, Awkward Conversations, Bonding, Dealing With Kids, Emotional Constipation, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Gen, Hopeful Ending, Hugs, Internal Monologue, Light Angst, Pre-Episode: e060-066 The Stolen Century Parts 1-7, Recovery, Swearing, Sweet, Taako and Angus Bond Over Being Orphans, but it's actually kinda funny?, taako doesn't know how to handle kids, that's it folks, weird narration
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-03
Updated: 2020-01-03
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:07:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22096114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allonsy_gabriel/pseuds/allonsy_gabriel
Summary: There are few things in existence that Taako can not handle. Rats. Clowns. The word moist.Children.Which, okay, alright, back it up. That—that makes it sound like Taako hates kids, or is, like, afraid of them, and I just want to make it clear—Taako is not afraid of kids. He doesn’t hate them, either. He just…He doesn’t know how to deal with them, right? Like, he’s a world-saving wizard and a famous chef, he doesn’t—he doesn’t have a lot of children experience.And he’s fine with that, y’know? It’s fine. It’s not like he has to deal with kids all that often, in his line of work, so if he doesn’t know what to do when a miniature person runs up to him and starts babbling nonsense, it’s whatever.(Or, Taako rolls a four for emotional intelligence and Angus asks the hard questions)
Relationships: Angus McDonald & Taako
Series: Another 51 [48]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1414117
Comments: 18
Kudos: 102





	The Answers Are Stuck Behind Closed Doors

**Author's Note:**

> what's up losers guess who realised they've got four (4) days to finish their second 51 challenge, and rushed to finish all their wips at once???
> 
> hahaha i'm in hell and it looks like it was designed by my own hand
> 
> no but also!!! i've tried my weird _make it sound like the podcast _narration thing again, which was hard, and only maybe successful, so. warnings for that.__

There are few things in existence that Taako can not handle. Rats. Clowns. The word moist.

Children.

Which, okay, alright, back it up. That—that makes it sound like Taako hates kids, or is, like, afraid of them, and I just want to make it clear—Taako is not afraid of kids. He doesn’t hate them, either. He just…

He doesn’t know how to deal with them, right? Like, he’s a world-saving wizard and a famous chef, he doesn’t—he doesn’t have a lot of children experience.

And he’s fine with that, y’know? It’s fine. It’s not like he has to deal with kids all that often, in his line of work, so if he doesn’t know what to do when a miniature person runs up to him and starts babbling nonsense, it’s whatever.

Or, like.

It  _ was _ whatever.

Because now there’s Angus.

Angus is, objectively,  _ technically _ , a kid. Maybe a robot, he—Taako’s not actually sure if believes Angus is really a flesh boy, so the jury is still out on that one, but—

Angus is almost definitely a kid.

And he’s also around  _ all the time _ .

Seriously. He’s around constantly. Taako will just be, y’know, living his life, minding his own business, and then Angus will appear out of  _ fucking  _ nowhere and start asking all these questions.

_ What are you working on, sir? Sir, are you excited for the next mission? Sir, what’s that spell do? Why do you look like you’re about to burn the moonbase to the ground, sir? _

And Taako just—he doesn’t know how to fucking deal.

For one thing, he’s pretty sure you’re supposed to be—you’re supposed to be nice to kids, right? And, like, Taako’s not—he’s not a nice or a good person, so he definitely struggles there, and then there’s the fact that he doesn’t know how to  _ talk _ to Angus, even, and then—

There’s just a lot of shit there, right?

And it kind of sucks because Taako likes the kid. The kid is—Angus is pretty hard to  _ not _ like, what with the charming boyish smile and shit, even if he is—he’s also pretty goddamn annoying.

So yeah, Taako’s got—he’s got some issues, here, in this particular department.

It’s not really his… wheelhouse.

Absolutely, yeah.

Anyway.

Here’s the scene:

Taako is actually trying to—well, he’s in his dorm, and he’s—he’s actually trying to take a nap. Training’s been hard, y’know? The days are long, he’—he’s on his grind, and he really just—

He wants a  _ nap _ , man.

So he’s lying on the couch, and he’s got, like, one of those sleep mask things? The cold ones that you keep in the freezer until it—until it’s sleep time, and then—yeah. He’s got one of those on, and he’s wearing a fantasy-Green Day t-shirt that he got from a concert he went to, like, a  _ while _ ago, and he’s just—he’s just trying to catch those  _ good _ z’s, y’know, when all the sudden—

There’s a knock on the door.

“Hey, can’t you—I’m trying to sleep in here!”

And the voice says, “Oh, I’m sorry, sir, I just—I was just wondering—”

“Hey, hey, can’t great, awesome, beloved, hot as shit world-saving wizard get a bit of  _ me-time _ around here? Is that—am I not even allowed that simple pleasure?”

And the voice, it’s quieter now, and—and it actually sounds kinda sad, like you hurt it’s feelings, and it says, “Okay, sir, I—I’ll let you rest, I was just wondering if we could—if we could talk about something, but it’s not—it’s not important, so I’ll just—”

And Taako can tell—it’s Angus.

It’s Angus, and he sounds… he sounds really fucking upset, man. I dunno if you could tell, but he—there’s definitely something wrong, there.

And Taako—

Taako sighs, and he says, “Fine, alright, I’m—guess I’m up now, damn it. I missed my—missed my chance for  _ that _ short rest, it’s whatever. Might as well come in, bubbeleh.”

The door creaks open, and in steps Angus, and he’s—

He looks kinda rough, to be completely honest. Like, he’s not  _ choking on sobs _ or whatever, but… Taako can tell he’s not having the best night.

“You, uh. You okay, kemosabe?”

Angus sniffles and rubs his eyes, but he nods and he says, “Y-yes, sir, I’m—I’m good. I just…” And he takes a deep breath, and he straightens his shoulders and his glasses, and he looks up at Taako and he says, “You didn’t have anyone before the bureau, did you?”

“What the—what the fuck kinda question is that, kiddo?”

Look, Taako—he’s not trying to be harsh or mean or whatever, but seriously? He’s not—he’s pretty much the opposite of an  _ open book _ , y’know? He doesn’t—

He doesn’t like talking about  _ before the bureau _ .

He’s gotten pretty damn at  _ not talking about before the bureau _ .

It’s a skill, right? Like magic or cooking or whatever. Taako is an expert in saying a bunch of shit, in running his mouth, in throwing a bunch of spaghetti at the wall and trusting that none of it’s gonna stick. Talk a lot so people think they know you, watch your words so they never do.

It’s—

That sounds really fucking sad, actually.

_ Shit _ .

But he’s not—well.

He’s not  _ really _ sad, y’know?

That’s just—that’s his life.

No use in complaining about it now, after god knows how long.

So, yeah. Angus’ question throws him through a bit of a loop.

Fucking sue him.

“I just—I was wondering—” Angus stammers, and he’s wringing his hands in front of him. “Because—well, sir, I  _ am _ The World’s Greatest Detective, and you—if I’m right, then that means, well—”

And he stops talking.

Taako gestures for him to keep going. ”Spill it, boychik.”

“It means we’re the same,” Angus mutters, and jeezy fucking creezy, dude, way to land a solid fucking punch to the—right to the fucking heart, shit.

Alright, okay. Fuck.

He can—Taako can do this.

Way to just nail him in the feelings.

Okay.

So.

Wow.

“Alright, okay,” he mutters, and he pats the spot on the sofa beside him. “You got me, Agnes. Got the—the whole Orphan Annie sob story, good—good job.”

Angus doesn’t actually say anything, he just sits down beside Taako and folds his hands in his lap.

Taako sighs and wraps an arm— _ an  _ arm, okay, just one, there’s no need to get fucking  _ sentimental  _ up here with  _ Angus Mc-fucking-Donald _ , fuck, man—around the kid, and he says, “It… it gets better, y’know? Like, all the hurt? Eventually, it sort of just… dulls.”

“Does it really, though?”

“You—I’m out here providing  _ valuable nuggets of wisdom _ and you’re going to—to ask  _ does it really, though _ ?”

“No, no, that’s not—well, I guess it’s  _ kinda _ what I mean, I mostly just… Does it really, actually go away, or do you just get better at ignoring it?”

Wowza. That’s a question, ain’t it? Fuck, there’s no need to—we’re getting deep here, aren’t we? Digging into some philosophy? You know, he was originally planning on just  _ taking a nap _ , not—not doing fucking  _ grief counseling _ .

Okay, so. Taako sort of… he doesn’t look Angus in the eyes, but he says, “Is there really a difference?”

Angus is quiet, again, but Taako can tell—he can tell he’s thinking about something.

“What’s up, pumpkin?”

And Angus looks up at him, and—there’s not tears in his eyes or anything, but there’s definitely  _ emotion _ there, and he says, “I’m glad you’re here, Taako. I’m glad—I’m glad there’s someone here who understands.”

“Hmph. Yeah, yeah I guess—I guess that is pretty nice, isn’t it?”

The two of them sit there, in silence, for a little bit, and it’s—there’s something comforting about it, y’know? Sitting there and knowing that you’re with someone who—who gets it.

And Taako…

Taako looks down at Angus and he figures that maybe he’s better at handling kids than he thought.

And they hug.

And the scene fades to black.

**Author's Note:**

> please tell me something. anything. give me the strength to carry on.


End file.
